My Players Kicked Me Out of the Room

[Henry]

This is something I promise all my Players (maybe not directly, but it is in my mind): I will never use your own ideas/hints to screw you over in this campaign.

Funny thing is, I don't think I've ever used it, but they may accuse me of it, because it usually turns out to be as bad as they are thinking, anyway.

 

[Insight]

Do their plans ever involve setting something on fire? That's usually my old stand by if I can't think of anything else.

Town full of guards, no way to sneak in? No problem, set the poor district on fire. All the guards will have to go take care of the fire and any alarms sounding will probably simply be construed as more fires breaking out.

Doesn't work so well for good characters, but...

LOL sounds like you're in the group I run. They are pretty bad at planning sometimes (although getting better), but setting stuff on fire sometimes ends up being their best plan.

 

[the Jester]

Nah, I don't think my players are worried I'd screw them with their own plans. I think they kicked me out so they could discuss foiling my plans, knowing that they have some extremely dangerous and persistent adversaries (hi Asmodeus!), and I like that they want to have some surprises ready for me. 'Cause- boy, do I have some for them...

I don't think the players are afraid I'll screw them over if I hear their plans- I think as much as anything they were arguing about what to do. There was considerable debate over the last few sessions- better the devil you know or the devil you don't? I believe that there was considerable debate amongst the pcs as to what course to take...

Thankfully, they ended up in just the right spot.

 

[Arnwyn]

As a DM, I often prefer not to know. While my players have rarely in 10+ years kicked me out of the room, it has happened and I relish those extremely rare times.

Why? For me, one of the things I most enjoy about this game is being surprised... and sadly, that happens all to rarely when I'm the DM. But that's just me.

(Of course, I'm already hearing whispers of "wrongbadfun" on this thread...)

 

[Greylock]

My party has asked the DM to give us some "alone time" on an occasion or two. Funny thing is, it usually does little to benefit the group. Ditto with the one time we hashed out a devious plan outside the session.

At the beginning of our last Major! battle, however, the planning took so long, and relied in part on the participation of one important NPC, we let the DM in on all the planning. Turned out for the better. The NPC was as fully involved as the BBEGs. What's better, the DM missed out on one crucial aspect of our battleplan. Guess there was too much info going around. But the fact that our Druid was going to cast Call Lightning on the ballistae, rather than the ogre manning it, was a vitally important tidbit .

 

[howandwhy99]

we have a website for the OD&D campaign i referee. i trust my players to only give me the bits and pieces of information they are planning to use in play when they need a ruling from me. otherwise, most of the conversations Out of game that are In character just happen during times when there is a lull in the action. the parts i get to see are filler for names of places. events in the calendar. names of NPCs. and would my character know X. it is some really good stuff.

I can tell you that half of our game goes on without the DM knowing. Many of the posts on our messageboard between game are in character. And more secret IC discussion between players goes on in individual emails than would I care to guess. Diaglo's role is often more one of reference due to all the planning and conspiring going on.

Furthermore, I can say that I wouldn't really want to game any other way. The game is very lethal, so not working together as a team is not really an option. But secrets and character motivations are continually going on when we are not around the table too. So the game needn't end when we leave.

I for one love it when:

• a player NPC suddenly reveals his malicious motivations against the DM's NPC heroes.
• PCs roll out plans that the DM only knows hints of and many other players nothing at all.
• Secret backgrounds of PCs are allowed to unravel at the players choice and character plans and are not forced out by the DM.
• PC's distrust each other a little, but still have enough commitment to the group/need each other to allow for real group dynamics and growth.
• PC's actually retire when the player realizes that their role is done.

One other interesting thing that we have been doing (or at least me) is to write two background histories. One everyone sees and knows, and the other full of secrets and potential plot hooks/devices for the DM to use as they see fit. Also, enough room is left for background and personality to be continually created throughout the game for when inspiration strikes. Or maybe just refresh/flush out your character a little more in regards to current events.